And in the evening, I went to Akiba to see the Kotobukiya flagship shop. Exploring Radio City building, I have finally fulfilled a long cherished desire: my long search is now over… the first MegaHouse RAH.DX Lunamaria Hawke (via Hobby Figure Akiba) is finally mine!

Just opposite the entrance from the Akiba JR station exit but I’ve never really explored this building… I suppose I hadn’t pick up the interest in figurines during my last trip two years ago. Kotobukiya showroom is, of course, the first stop. Going upstairs, I found and bought Revy was from the Kotobukiya Radio City 2F shop for her RRP of JPY 4,800. There was a lovely 1/6 Revy, with her seated legs out while cleaning her guns, but it’s 1/6 and also cost a not inconsiderable JPY 14.490!

Treasure market place is probably the largest showcase rental shop in the area with three branches in the same building. Sellers rent the space, the goods are held on a consignment basis, shoppers take down the glass case number and ask for assistance from the shop keepers.

Rental rates were, for full shelf units, JPY 3,150 at the bottom, JPY 5,250 for the second level, JPY 5,750 for the third level which is at average eye level and JPY 5,250 at the top. JPY 1,575, JPY 2,625, JPY 3,650 and JPY 2,625 respectively for half units.

Huge variation in prices for the stuff on offer. MaxFac Yukis were going for JPY 9,000 to JPY 14,000 (I counted at least five). I saw two WonderFest Saber plushies going for JPY 4,980 and JPY 6,800 (vs her cost of JPY 2,500). The blue limited edition Princess with the axe was going for JPY 11,500 and JPY 18,900!

The find of the evening was at Hobby Figure. The second floor is the Bishoujo Figure floor (pic) and I finally found the first MegaHouse RAH.DX Lunamaria figure which I had missed out on almost two years ago! Luna was a steal for JPY 3,654. I am so happy! As this completes my collection with the second and third MegaHouse RAH.DX Lunamarias.

But also a reality check – figures are light on the luggage weight allowance but are so bulky in their boxes. And there’s no more space in my luggage to pack more goodies in. orz

©2012 hontou ni sou omou?. All Rights Reserved.

Main Office: ‘Because you have yet to reach the primary objective of ComiKet 72, I cannot release your limiter to $$ rank. Will a single $ be enough?’
Zyl: *thinks for a while* Hai! Jyubun ya!

TBC. Apologies, had a really late night last night. Update of yesterday’s Akiba III and Ikebukuro adventure when I get back later.

[Edit: Updates after the jump.]

So there I was parading my ignorance, previously asserting that MaxFac Yuki could not be bought in Akiba for love or for money. It just turns out that I wasn’t looking in the right places. I’ve since seen quite a few Yukis for sale but almost all above JPY 9,000 and the most expensive was going for JPY 14,490! Ok, so I bit the bullet and bought this one, from this shop that rents out shelf space (in glass cabinets), for JPY 7,900, a not insignificant markup. This also seems unnecessary as there is a second release for this figure due this month (se Ami Ami).

With respect to the latter consideration, I didn’t place a pre-order for a second Yuki. So it’s unlikely I’ll get one through the normal channels anyway. If I buy on the secondary market or online, I would have much less opportunity to inspect her before paying out and taking delivery. On the former issue of the markup, firstly, this was the least expensive Yuki I could find; secondly, the seller is not making an obscene profit either – he has to rent the display shelf (JPY 3,000 but for how long?) and that particular shelf only had another smaller figurine in it. In any case, for me, it’s a case of buy and be happy.

In other purchase news, there’s another Mystery Stripey package (#3 now), from K-Books anime in Ikebukuro. I’ve managed to find discounted Noir OST 1 (JPY 1,280) and 2 (JPY 1,680) too as well as a Ryoko Chara Song CD (JPY 900) and a Kaede drama CD (JPY 2,480), all from the Liberty Akiba No.4 shop. Hmm… music-wise, it seems like my good brother likes chicks who kill (or attempt to) people…

The real wallet limit breakers for me were the other CDs, all at RRP because I couldn’t find them (after three days of searching Akihabara, Nakano and Ikebukuro): Simoun OST 1 and 2 for JPY 3,045 and Murder Princess OST for JPY 3,058 from Yamagiwa Soft. And two Nana Mizuki singles for Nanoha, Innocent Starter (my favourite Nanoha OP) and Eternal Blaze at JPY 1,200 each as well as A’s Sound Stage 1 and 2 at JPY 2,625 from Comic Toranoana – Got SS1 mainly for the Nanoha x Fate love-love bathing track and the SS2 for Snow Rain. . Thankfully, all three retailers accepted my credit card so my cash could be conserved for ComiKet which definitely does not take cards.

Well, now that I think about it, I’ve bought OSTs and singles online and paid more for the postage and handling charges than for the goods themselves! There was one time when Royal Mail slapped me with the 17.5% UK VAT and their obscene handling charge on top of that! Still… buying two full OST CDs like that, one can easily buy a top of the range figurine. But I’m happy to own good quality CDs of OSTs I enjoy which I bought at a decent price (compared to how much they sell for online with P&H or in local stores, if they even carry them!).

No prizes for guessing whom Stripey will be rooting for nano yo.

On the way to Ikebukuro, I saw this meido cafe, Pinafore, which is just behind the Metro exit (3) – come out of the escalator/stairs and turn right, you should see it on your right, facing the little park which is now a haven for all those people who have to take their fag break but not break the municipal law banning smoking while walking.

What makes this particular cafe interesting is that there seems to be a queue outside it all the time. Virtuous cycle effect, combined with a good ground floor location – not a walk-up for a start which makes it feel extra sleazy plus it’s not possible to see a queue if there was one?

Plus I’ve noticed that when a customer leaves, his face is always beaming. I was quite tempted to try it out but my very basic Japanese would probably make it not worth the money as a lot of the fun probably comes from the verbal interaction. Or maybe the meido here are just particularly babelicious.

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Ah, memories of the Yuri Revolution 2005. I still remember how Serge very generously let me have the last Kannazuki OST and ED single. But this Toranoana branch seems to have changed a bit. For one thing, it’s a lot more crowded in terms of customers and goods taking up floor space compared to my previous visit. There’s a particular bad choke point at the entrance which clusterfcuks four different streams: coming in, going out, queue for the lift (which is right opposite the stairs). Lots of figurines on the first level too.

After struggling through that Toranoana, headed off to Otome Road, which was mentioned by Patricia Martin during a recent episode of Lucky Star. Along the way:

Run, childrens! It’s the pedobear!! Or not.

Didn’t go the K-Books further up the road (top right picture) because it seems mainly ‘Doujin for women’ so went down the road to the ‘Doujin for men’. Found an interesting haul – StrikerS Nano! and Haru Star 2 were particularly good finds. Though I also had to browse through shelves of doujin with loli-Nanoha/Fate and Haruhi/Mikuru/Yuki covered in spunk. orz I’m seriously not keen on those kinds of doujin, not because I’m a prude but mainly because I think the doujin artist/circle takes so many liberties with the character’s characterization that the character becomes unrecognizable and thus breaking my initial identification with the work. For example, I’m still an admirer of Tony Taka (his Runar! was selling for JPY 3,130 – an astronomical price for a rather thin doujin) as I am of the sexy humour of Gold Rush’s classic Thank You! Lunamaria Hawke doujin (JPY 630).

Every store needs its own mascot! :3

Can’t wait for the fifth volume of the Lucky Star manga!

Another sign of summer…

Shijou-don (market bowl) from Tsukiji at JPY 900. Shijimi (small clams) miso soup is an additional JPY 100.

Fried rice (char han) with deepfried pork, eggplant, bitter gourd, onions, topped with an onsen-style egg (basically an egg that has been slowly soft-boiled in 60 deg C water for 40+ minutes) for JPY 780. This was my early dinner. Had a late second, proper dinner (cooked by my high school friend and his girlfriend) over at his apartment in Kojimachi later that evening. Saved me quite a bit of food money that was diverted to the ComiKet budget!

©2012 hontou ni sou omou?. All Rights Reserved.

The Nanoha Mobile!!! Parked along the road on the right of the overhead rail when crossing from Gamers side.

I never expected to actually see it but now I have!

The truth is… I am a magical girl. There [what?] is forbidden.

I think the shorter one is cosplaying Konomi, mini-twins and all. Face-wise, she’s actually quite cute.

I went back to the Rei and Asuka ramen place and sat right at the end of the counter so I could get my photos. Tried the noodles kata this time and I think I prefer them more cooked. But am glad I tried.

A bit of a commotion in front of the JR station. A girl taking off her shirt top and photography is not only allowed but encouraged!? An idol launch I think, she was flogging tickets to her opening event? I’m not entirely sure what was going on but I have to admire her guts and determination.

Donation by persuasion. / Neal’s Yard normally sells just cheese in the UK!

Consolidated loot for 16 Aug:

Lucky Star OP for JPY 1,050 (vs RRP JPY 1,200), Black Lagoon OST for JPY 2,814 (vs RRP JPY 3,000), Yuki Nagato Character Songs for JPY 1,155 (vs RRP JPY 1,200) and Ryoko Asakura Character Songs for JPY 945 (vs RRP 1,200). Less discounting at the Liberty Akiba No.4 shop than from the Nakano Mandarake UFO Centre but can’t complain because they did have stock.

Nanoha first season OST for JPY 2,289 (vs RRP JPY 2,625) from Liberty Akiba No.5 shop. [Add: Which were also selling used boxsets for SHUFFLE! (JPY 47,040), Black Lagoon (JPY 33,390) and Black Lagoon: The Second Barrage (JPY 26,040) - added together, cost almost as much as my accommodation bill and air fare put together!!]

Nemu drama CD for Stripey. The fifth and final track is entitled: ‘Nii-san mo watashi mo – epilogue’

And the charm from Washinomiya for JPY 1,000.

The story here is the stuff that I didn’t buy. There was one figurine that was going for a JPY 3,000 mark up but I realized that the person was actually breaking even as she cost him that same amount to rent the space where he was displaying his swag for sale! I was going to buy her but I had run out of cash and the shop’s credit card validation line was maxed out and down for the day (just 45 mins to go to closing time at 8pm!). orz But it has given me pause to think about whether to go back tomorrow to grab her… Talk about charging into a fight without the requisite ammo!

And yes, we were talking about the figurine like a person rather than an object: ‘Ano ko yoroshi desuka?’ I was asked if her condition was satisfactory upon inspecting after she (still in her box, of course) was taken out of the locked glass display case. ‘Hitori (rather than hitotsu) dake desu.’ was the reply when I asked if there was any more stock.

©2012 hontou ni sou omou?. All Rights Reserved.